Sonja Vlaar
CONTRIBUTION IN ORIGINAL LANGUAGE
The cod stock in the North Sea used to be considered healthy. After the stocks fall below the safe biological level, the certificates of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for cod fishing in the North Sea are suspended. All MSC-certified fisheries targeting cod stocks in the North Sea are affected.
The causes of the decline are unclear. Scientists suspect that this is due to factors such as water warming due to climate change and the fact that fewer young cod have reached adulthood in the past two years. This decline has been seen despite industry initiatives that actively target juvenile fishing, including improving fish selectivity and avoiding spawning grounds, which have been instrumental in achieving MSC certification.
“The decline in cod stocks in the North Sea is a worrying development. The latest stock models suggest that the fishery has not recovered as well as previously thought, ”said Erin Priddle, UK and Ireland program director for the Marine Stewardship Council. The Scottish fishing industry is committed to a five year project known as the Fisheries Improvement Project to restore the stock to health.
The suspension will take effect on October 24, 2019. Cod caught by these fisheries caught after this date can no longer be sold with the blue MSC seal.
Picture: Pixabay
